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D-Day 6th June 2009

They are greeting them as heroes
On those beaches in France
Where all those many years ago,
By good fortune or by chance,
From the turmoil of invasion
They managed to survive
To turn hour's long minutes
Into victorious drive
That brought for Europe
The release
From War
Into peace.

Each year they are fewer
And they are old and frail
Reliving those memories
Of being young and hale
When many of their mates
Paid the ultimate cost
Among those many
Young lives lost.

Sixty five years ago now.
How many less will appear
On those same beaches
Just next year;
But you can see in their bearing
That which they cannot hide,
The sense of survival's wonder
And that huge sense of pride.
They are greeting them as heroes
And those brave old men stand
Reminders of the blood shed
To return freedom to a foreign land